


Voidlight

by ViridianIgnis



Series: Song Title Oneshots [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: No Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:06:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7314559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViridianIgnis/pseuds/ViridianIgnis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I recently decided to write oneshots based on song titles. This one is based on Voidlight by Thomas Ferkol from Homestuck Vol. 10.</p>
<p>The country of Erede is nearly overrun by the invading Pithenites, forcing refugees to flee across the Great Void to the isolated continent of Vorend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Voidlight

  The Void stretched out for miles and miles, an endless abyss of darkness and uncertainty.  
  No one knew how deep the Great Void truly was. A scar in the Earth, it separated the continent of Vorend from the coast of Erede, cutting Vorend off from the rest of the world. Many rivers ran their course to the edge of the void, their waters cascading over the edge of the Earth into the unknowable depths. The Void had existed for as long as anyone could remember, and the water that ran into it had never come close to filling it.  
  Crossing the Void was a dangerous thing to do. For one thing, the sky boats that were used to get across were notoriously unreliable. For another, there was always the risk of falling off your boat into the abyss. But mostly it was the ra’fir; great bat-like beasts with insatiable appetites and a taste for human meat. Crossing the Void was an action undertaken by only the foolhardy and the desperate.  
  Desperate people were not hard to come by nowadays. Erede had been invaded by the neighbouring country of Pithen and many Eredians had been forced to flee their homes due to the war. Pithen was winning, and the Eredians were scared.  
  Tormelia – Karan’s home city – had fallen to the Pithenites, and Karan and his family had been forced out. First they had fled to the city of Arlin, but soon they received word that the Pithenite army was marching on the city. Karan’s father decided that staying in Erede was far too dangerous; the Pithenites would conquer the land before Erede could get any help. Vorend was the last safe haven for the displaced Eredians. So, as quickly as they could, Karan’s family gathered up what little belongings they had left and fled for the nearest Void crossing.  
  Karan’s family were by no means the only refugees heading for Vorend. In fact, many thousands of Eredians had decided that Vorend was their only hope. So much so that the king of Erede had organised official Void ferries to take the refugees to the isolated continent. Karan’s family had boarded the third Void ferry to be commissioned. That had been six days ago.  
  The blanket of night had fallen over the Void, the air was still, and the displaced Eredians slept. Karan rested his elbows on the railing of the ferry and looked out into the Void. The darkness was nearly absolute. The Void was an ocean of impenetrable black and no stars studded the night sky above. There was no light, save for the steady glow of the lantern on the prow of the ship. Karan sighed, closing his eyes. His home was gone, he was adrift in an abyss with no end in sight and his future was uncertain. A single tear rolled down his cheek. Everything he knew was lost.  
  “You know it’s dangerous to be out here at night.” Karan turned to see a boy about his own age watching him. “Especially that close to the edge. Ra’fir like an easy meal.”  
  Karan wiped his eyes surreptitiously and shrugged. “I think I’ll take my chances. No one knows what it’s like in Vorend, death might be better.”  
  “I suppose it might.” The other boy approached him and held out his arm. “Viri,” he said.  
  Karan shook his hand. “Karan.”  
  Viri leaned on the railing next to Karan. The flickering light of the lantern cast his brown hair in a golden glow. “So Karan, where are you from?”  
  “Tormelia,” Karan replied, turning back to look out over the Void. “How about you?”  
  “Gerith. It’s a small town just off the Pithen border. It was the first place they took.”  
  “That must have been awful.”  
  “Pretty awful, yeah. Mum and dad were in the town guard, they didn’t make it.”  
  Karan raised his eyes to the sky. “My brother was eighteen when the war began. He got drafted. He was sent to fight on the Eastern front; to Jin Ren.”  
  Viri closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.” Everyone knew of the massacre at Jin Ren; it was one of Erede’s greatest defeats. Not one Eredian soldier survived.  
  “Can I show you something?”  
  Karan turned to Viri, raising an eyebrow. “What?” Viri clicked his fingers and a spark leapt from the tips. “You’re a mage?”  
  Viri nodded. He stared up at the starless sky, his expression grim and determined. “When we get to Vorend, I’m going to study at the Acad Magis. Once I’ve graduated, I’m going back home and joining the war effort. I’ll make those Pithenites regret that they ever came.”  
  “There might not be a war by then.”  
  “Then I’ll start one. And I’ll win.”  
  They stood together in silence for a few minutes, then Viri turned and walked back towards the cabin, leaving Karan alone with only the steadily flickering lantern to light the darkness.


End file.
